Just days from

Sailing NY harbor

F1 Singapore

external objectivity

gotta have

As one of the guinea pigs for a huge and powerful pharmaceutical company, I´m currently locked up for a few days in one of the largest hospitals in Sweden.
The rules here are very simple. Drink the vicous brew that they serve you. Don´t leave the ward. Stay in bed as much as possible. Give the nurses whatever they want - measurements or samples, blood or urine. Don´t be cheap. And do the strange tests that they want you to do, when you have to watch flashing letters and numbers and pictures, while you, dazed and confused, are hysterically pressing buttons on a computer. Do all this, and whatever else they tell you to do, and you will receive an assload of money.
The days here are surreal. I´m comatozed and cozy. I´m all warm inside. Fuzzy. And everybody here is so nice to me, and they show a seldomly seen interest in my urine. Tall white coats are standing next to my bed, telling me that I´m being good when I´m doing absolutely nothing but lying down.
It´s not the first time I´m participating in one of these experiments, and no experiment is exactly like the one before. But one thing remains exactly the same. I always, always listen to Selected Ambient Works Vol. II while in here. It´s just the perfect soundtrack for experimenting with pharmaceutical drugs, while white coats are patting you, and strange machines and weird looking medical equipment are beeping and hissing in the background. It all becomes one. All becomes one. And I´m connected with wires to the heart of a computer. Or. Maybe it´s just the drug.

Matches with this

Deathblow

HOLY SHIT

In a stunning move, the Reds have landed prized Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman, outbidding several other Major League clubs that were in the running for the left-handed pitcher.

Major League sources told MLB.com that Chapman's deal is likely to be worth $25 million over five years, with an option for a sixth year that could push the value of the contract to $30 million. Payment would likely be spread out over several years to minimize the financial hit.

The Reds have scheduled a press conference for 12 p.m. ET Monday. Some details appear to still need finalizing, and Chapman must also take a physical.

The Reds' interest in the 22-year-old first surfaced on Friday, and word of the signing was first reported by Yahoo Sports on Sunday. Cincinnati was one of many to see Chapman work out on Dec. 15 in Houston. He is believed to throw a fastball that has reached as high as 100 mph on the radar gun.

There are several reasons why the Chapman deal is a shocker. First, the small-market Reds outbid deeper pocketed clubs, including the Blue Jays, Angels and Red Sox, who were the first to bid with an initial $15.5 million offer in early December. Toronto reportedly offered him $23 million. The Marlins also reportedly offered him a deal in the $16 million range.

Secondly, the Reds have barely registered any vital signs on the Hot Stove scene all winter. The team's payroll inflexibility prevented it from offering arbitration-eligible outfielder Jonny Gomes a contract. Veteran third baseman Scott Rolen restructured his 2010 contract to go from $11 million to $6 million so the Reds could better retain some of their other high-salaried players. Rolen's new deal also added two more guaranteed years at $6.5 million each.

Reports have indicated that Chapman is far from polished, but he could give the Reds a very dynamic rotation should he debut in the Majors during 2010. Cincinnati already has young pitchers Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey -- both of whom finished 2009 strong. Another young arm, Edinson Volquez, is rehabilitating from elbow reconstruction surgery and won't likely be ready until midseason at the earliest. The Reds also have back-to-back 15-game winner Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang, who has won 16 games twice in his career.

Because he pitched his entire career in the isolated Communist nation of Cuba, few have seen Chapman pitch. He made two starts for his country in the 2009 World Baseball Classic last spring.

A message for comment was left with Reds general manager Walt Jocketty on Sunday afternoon. Messages were also left with Chapman's agent, Randy Hendricks. He joined the agency of Randy and Alan Hendricks after he dismissed fledgling agent Edwin Mejia, who helped Chapman establish residency in Andorra after he defected from the Cuban National Team in July.